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She has been a rock'n'roll superstar since the 1970s, when her
punk blonde hair and ultra-feminine singing voice epitomised cool.
But despite her perennial air of New York sophistication, Deborah
Harry still admits to occasional nervousness when she meets other
stars.

"A few weeks ago I ran into Nicolas Cage and I was completely
dumbstruck," she says, with a soft laugh, talking to S
over the phone from the US. "Ultimately I'm just as much a fan of
other people, as people are fans of mine. I couldn't think about it
any other way. I've been thrilled to meet various people over the
years."

And when she uses the word "people" Harry is referring to some
of the world's best-known pop culture icons (and some of her close
personal friends) ranging from Andy Warhol to the Ramones the
familiar faces on the New York scene when she made her mark as the
lead singer of Blondie.

But nearing 60 yes, it's hard to believe, but she was born in
1945 Harry is undoubtedly a musical icon in her own right. But
she's not simply relying on history books to maintain her
reputation.

"I think our fans are really excited by the fact we've come back
together and forged ahead, we're not just resting on our laurels
and not just being an 'oldies' group," says Harry. "When we brought
Blondie back together in the late 1990s, we knew it meant not only
playing, touring and recording, but also constantly evolving."

When Harry returns to Australia early next year with Blondie, it
will be the band's second visit in as many years. After a number of
gigs performing material from their new album, The Curse Of
Blondie, the band are reinvigorated, says their lead singer.
"I guess practice makes perfect," says Harry, with a laugh.

"It was incredibly wonderful the last time we were there [in
Australia]. We wouldn't be coming again unless we thought it would
be terrific."

The softly spoken, thoughtful singer has always been a strong,
womanly force in the male-dominated world of pop. Her performance
styles have influenced at least two generations of pop and rock
performers, but she says she still gets a kick out of seeing other
female musicians achieve success in the industry.

"There's a lot of terrific bands and performers out there," she
says. "I really admire Shirley Manson [from Garbage] and Pink, but
I hate to name names because I always leave someone out. But
Courtney Love is also fantastic I think there are all different
degrees of pop and edginess among those three."

Harry admits she will often chew the fat with well-known
performers, including those she has mentioned. "Yeah, we all
commiserate about our problems to a degree," she says, chuckling.
"We rage on about the industry and the troubles with touring. I
think to survive in this profession, as with any other profession,
it's always good to talk about these things."

And when it comes to surviving in the industry, Harry is
undeniably an expert. But despite the various ups and downs of
life, she says she remains quintessentially the same.

"I think I'm pretty much the same person in a lot of ways," she
says. "I've always felt that I'm on the edge of counter-culture, I
didn't ever feel that I was over-the-top commercial. I think as a
band, Blondie had accessibility, but also an edge."

She says the most startling change in the music industry during
her career span has been the shift towards computer-based
technology.

"The thing that surprises me the most was probably the record
industry fearing the computer world, as though the whole world was
falling apart. Of course, we have websites and emails and all that
sort of thing now. But it has just changed the industry completely,
it has changed the way musicians and rock bands earn a living."

When Blondie perform at the Sydney Opera House in February,
founding guitarist Chris Stein will join the line-up he was unable
to make it for the band's last visit. Harry is hoping the
Australian shows will be among their best. "Obviously some nights
are better than others," she says. "I don't know how to explain it.
It's when the six-headed creature that we become when we're on
stage has an alike mind . . . those nights are secretly magical for
us. The audience might not even realise it, but we'll go off stage
going 'wow, that was great'."

But no matter what happens on stage, Harry says she's already
thankful for her place among music's greats.

"It's the ultimate compliment really," she says, pausing for
reflection. "It's what everybody strives for, you just want that
little legacy - that little piece of rock history."